His Royal Cuteness....

Essie said update.... and what could be better than that?!?
My boys are home with me today....
we're having an unofficial snowday just because....
Not much longer and I actually get to see my husband!
4weeks has seemed like FORever....
then we move...
and then I get to go meet the little man.
Not much longer now....not much longer.....

Cousin LOVE

The littles sported Evansen "tattoos" to school today
(brilliant idea Es).... Jared informed me in no uncertain terms....that having a heart with another boys name on it on his hand was NOT an option... got it buddy.

My GORGEOUS Nephew

7:49am HE IS HERE!!!!

My nephew has decided to come out and meet the world.....

Evansen George
8lbs. 21 and a half inches

He was crying when I was talking to Mike, which of course made me cry....
Mike is just adorably excited, and Gabby is still in the OR but doing great!
I will post photos as soon as I get them.
I'm so beside myself with happiness I can hardly stand it.

For a long time there were only your footprints & laughter in our dreams & even from such small things, we knew we could not wait to love you forever.

Now we're talking!

Gabby's water broke early this morning!!!
I will keep you posted as I know more.
Keep them in your prayers today and let it be a safe and "easy" delivery for Momma and baby.
(I'm SO excited!!!)

ETA:
Her water broke ON Max.... ;)
I talked to Gab at 10:30ish and she was at the hospital eating popsicles (and laughing).
Just talked to Mike on few minutes ago (1:30) and Gabby can't talk anymore because of the contractions....
so things are progressing.

7:45pm
Not yet...but she's doing great. (Mike is too :))
She's hungry and tired.....
Mike did say he snuck in some pretzels....hopefully that's helping...
I can not believe I'm in OHIO?!?!?

26hours later....
still working on having a baby.
Just talked to Gab, and she's still laughing, so that's good.
Hopefully not much longer now....?!?!?!?!?!?

She's on the way into the OR right now for a c-section.

We Miss You

16 days w/ no Dad/husband.....not so much fun..... Jack is as popular here as Jenny was when I was a kid.
Hence the Jack W....not to be confused w/ Jack K.
There is also a Matt T., Matt P., and a Matt K.
The really funny thing is they call each other this..
even on playdates.
Anyway....
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Nothing to Report (yet)

Dear Max-

I just wanted you to know that I really love the slippers you got me for Christmas.
I wear them all the time. They keep my feet nice and warm, which is really great here because it's like 6 million below zero. (That is just an estimate, but I'm pretty close I think)

I'm thinking you're anxious about the new arrival...
so I just wanted you to know that if you need some time away, you're welcome to come stay with the boys and me for awhile. I figure with the noise level here, and a few friendly games of Nerf cross-bow vs. Max, a new baby will be no biggie.
So, take us up on that offer if it gets too stressful there...but I think it's going to be just fine.

Now be a good dog and don't eat the sofa while they're at the hospital. Ok?!?
Love you....Auntie Erika

No news yet y'all....but I promise to update as soon as there is...
I CANT WAIT!!!!

I Wear My Sunglasses at Night...

This deliciously ooey-gooey dark haired perfect headed baby...in fact...
quite possibly the MOST beautiful baby boy ever to grace the earth...

Turned NINE on Sunday.
Unbelievable.
Nine.

He has worn these sunglasses constantly since turning nine.
Even when it has been overcast, or it's been pitch black out. Thus adding yet another nickname to the oley arsenal of nicknames. Colin started calling him Corey Hart....and about made me pee my pants.
Here are some more photos of Corey before my battery died.
Yeah, I checked the other two cameras...all batteries dead. Go figure.
His best buddies came over for movies, pizza, cake and ice cream.
Oh, and a fun little game called tackle football on the stairs...
loved that one.

Fun weekend.

Now today Jared is home from school sick with yet another yaktastic delight.
I honestly need all illnesses to leave us alone for the rest of the year. We've all been sick WAY too much this one...
And my puketacular dealer of vomit is currently in a minivan on his way to his new job in Arkansas...
It's packed full of clothes, an air mattress, a tv, some photos, a ton of food....and a goldfish named SharkBait.
I actually think there may be a country song about this....
My husband left this morning and he won't be back until March.
sigh.
(Hopefully SharkBait likes Pearl Jam...poor SharkBait)

OH, by the way...
We're moving again.
To Arkansas.
Our third move in two years.
All I know about Arkansas is that my friend Ashley Wren is from there.
I believe she described it as "Stupid El Dorado Crappy Arkansas" so I have high hopes...HA!
Oh, and did I mention she moved OUT of the state?!?! Yeah...so she's not even there to hang out with... Very sad for me...

Speaking of the amazing talented Ashley Wren...
I am so going to do this... and this.

I love her mind.
And man did I love Juno.

HEe-larious....

The game itself...not hilarious.
(Actually sort of weird.)
Jack SAYING the name of the game....
"Wayman Wabbing Wabbits"....
OH soooo funny. ..
I'm horrible...
and I've only made him say it a million times...
but it's priceless...really.

I have so much to "catch up" on....but I have just one more piece of Jackfun....
His letter to Santa this year.Touch the carrots buddy and pay the price....

WhiteOut Conditions

It snowed ALL weekend...

this was out my front door...

so apparently it's going to be our first white Christmas in a long time.
The boys were hoping for a snow day...all the surrounding towns, and even the private schools in our town are closed today...but my kids had school.
They were thrilled.
Jack however is home sick.
AGAIN.
I cannot get the boy well. Poor thing.
I feel horrible for him....hopefully the other two avoid the stomach flu so we're ALL well for Christmas.
That would be nice.

I should also add that I never intended for my last post to imply I hate the state of Ohio...because I don't.
I just am not a fan of my town.
I would never judge an entire state by one town...if so then I wouldn't be a fan of NC...and I LOVE North Carolina.
Ohio is gorgeous.
Really.
Cleveland has an amazing park system that can make you feel like you're not even in a city...and Columbus is seriously cool. (and I'm not even saying that to brown nose Missy.)
Hello, they have this....my boys would have season tickets if we weren't moving.
So, Ohio = good....Solon = not so good.
That's all.

Another Random Post

This Thanksgiving we were thankful for many things.
But mostly...
urgent care.
This is Jack on Thanksgiving day...
Strep throat.

And Jared...the day after Thanksgiving.
He is really enjoying the aircast he must wear for 6weeks. A Jared that can't play soccer is a VERY unhappy Jared.

Colten also ended up with strep, but he is fine now.
Jack is home sick AGAIN with strep, and now a sinus infection to go along with it.
Honestly I can't remember my kids ever being this sick....I blame the COLD.

Jack had to do a timeline project for school. It's such fun looking at the age progression in photos. I can't believe he was so little not so long ago...

I was really proud that he pulled out some of my scrap supplies to work on his project...It turned out really cute. He even used some doodlebug stickers to spell out "Jack Benjamin Blaise" across the bottom....Thank goodness SOMEONE is getting some use out of the supplies.

This beautiful tree is making me happy.

As is this beautiful boy who runs down stairs in the morning to turn it on.
First thing.
The tree is never off if Oley is around ;)

And half of the tinytreeforest on my very large mantel...

love it.
even though now when I'm out in stores I think I need every little tree I see. It's sort of like when we were searching for pink and orange things for Gabby's wedding. I still think I need to buy everything I find pink and orange...how many years later?!?

Before all the sickness,
I was going to write about a few different things.
One was about our upcoming move. (I'll save that for another post)
The other was about this town I live in.
I'll just shorten the version I had in my head.
If you know me, then it's no secret that I really dislike it here. I mean we move a lot, so I'm fairly use to different places and different people, and that's one of the things I love about moving. This town however is just emotionally exhausting. Everyone is in a rush, No one seems to care about anyone, except themselves.I have left the grocery store on more than one occasion in tears, because it's so frustrating.I honestly would become so angry and frustrated that I'd cry about my grocery shopping experience. How sad is THAT?!?
I finally decided that this was just unacceptable. I was allowing the people here to impact the way I felt and that wasn't ok with me. I was matching their unkindness with my frustrated unkindness and it was making it all much worse. I decided to look at the people here as though they all were just having a really bad day. Like something was weighing on each of them. We watched a video at my church back in Greenville about something similar, being able to put on special glasses that allow you see into each person that you meets life, to see their struggles. I can't see their struggles but it's enough to know everyone has them, and it helps me to ignore their behavior, and to focus on my own. It's our own struggles and losses that enable us to be the people we are, and to be a comfort for others. It's sometimes hard...and I sometimes think that most of these people have no struggles, they're just crabby and mean, but some probably do...and they're the ones that might appreciate a smile, or a kind word.
So, now when I go to the grocery store here...
I take a deep breath, and say "a kinder gentler me"....
and I go in..
and you know what?
My day isn't' ruined now when I come out.

Love Notes

Cleaning up the spare room/computer room/art room before turkeyday guests arrive...
and coming across many little notes
apparently passed between my children...
this one being the sweetest...
Yeah,
real nice Coley....

Photo of the Day

I remember before I got my digital camera so wanting to take a photo a day like so many people do...
and then I got my camera,
and apparently I forgot I could....
until I was on someones blog yesterday looking at their photo of the day....
and I was thinking how much I wished I could do that....
and then I had a WTF moment of HEY...wait just one second... I CAN.....
What is wrong with me?!?!
So I'm going to....but not today.
Today it's more of a photo-that-could-have-been-the-photo-of-the-day-but-I-forgot-and-now- it's-a-photo-of-a-few-weeks-ago.
My baby can READ...
Unbelievable.
Off to soccer....which could be a photo of the day everyday around here....

Babyfek Shower

This was the most bestest fun day ever. I can not believe I won't see my sister again until she's holding babyfek...well, she better actually be handing the baby off to me, because I can't wait to meet the little man.
The shower was such fun....My sister has the sweetest friends,

everyone humored me and played all the silly games I came up with.

Some with help from my boys....(ok, and the Girls Next Door)...

Dirty diaper game anyone? Melt chocolate candy bars into diapers, number the diapers, and have guests sniff and look around in the diaps, trying to figure out the flavor bar....OH yeah...the boys were crushed when they found out the shower's no boys allowed rule ...

My cousin got all the diapers right...

Helps to have 3 kids that just celebrated Halloween! HA!

Gabby almost scored a 100% on the celeb baby game....who wants to match baby animals w/ their mamas when you can match babies w/ their celeb moms?!?

I didn't even have to tell Gab to wear blue....she's such a good girl, she matched my theme perfectly.....so Martha of you sis.
The favors were white frames that I inserted blue cardstock into that said

"please insert photo of babyfek here....coming soon".

Horrible photos of the event I know. I so wish I had a good one of the table of frames.....

but I was too busy running around.

My boys all picked out their presents for the baby....

again no photos,

Jack got the baby a "baby"....which in jack is a blanket. He is my only blanket baby, and his still loves his fiercely....his is named old baby (A scrap page on that soon)

O got the baby a RockStar bib and some skull booties...that's just SO Coley....

Jared got a soccer ball because really what else could a boy need or want?!? HA!

Colin got the baby butt paste....need I say more? oh, wait...and nipple cream for Gabby.

I got the baby clothes....

because anyone that says boys aren't fun to shop for, well I would argue with them.

I LOVE little boy clothes.

I left Wisconsin wanting

a. to move back to NC so I'm closer to my nephew (oh yeah, and my sister and Mike) and

b. a baby

such baby lust when I see this...

and when my nephew comes out we will have a little talk about not kicking for his Auntie Erika....yes we will....

Just SO excited for my little sister....February just needs to be here now!

Yesterday....

Was a good day....
The mohawk was looking fantastic.....(he's been growing it out)

Darth was looking adorable....
Before the gloves came off, the voice changer came off, and the mask came off...
Jack has yet to make it a whole night of trick-or-treating in full-on costume...
My littles cracking me up....
My gorgeous boy...even w/ the eyeliner, and the piercings....

Most popular comments---"That mohawk looks REAL!" "Can I take his picture?"

Lucky for me the fake rings weren't exactly comfortable, so I'm thinking I'm off the hook there for a couple of years at least...

the tattoos are another story.

My Church is Funny....

veryveryfunny....

Fear and Jell-O

email inbox last night...in part....

"This morning, many of you may have noticed police cars...
your children may come home today with reports that police officers were in the building when they arrived...
The reason for the police presence is because over the last week we received a number of reports about a student having a gun in the building...
that the student has had conversations with other students about having a gun...
our goal is to keep everyone safe..
The student and his locker were searched ...
There was no gun found in either search and no student reported that they actually saw a gun ... A conference was held ...
The police department has been very involved, as a safety precaution, has stepped up security ...
All Middle School staff members have been informed and the student will continue to be closely monitored...

my heart dropped as i read...
i lay awake last night.
and
i sent him to school today.
i don't want to raise my son to be fearful, but it's so hard...

we talked about keeping him home today...
but for how long?
what is safe?
i can't answer that...
so i sent him to school.
middle school...

on to
Happier things...
or
what I had intended to post today...

Jack is home sick today (day 2)
that is not happy.
except for the part of that story that involves me...not having to go to school (aka work).
that is happy.
and frankly Jack is pretty happy too....
webkinz, jello jigglers, and sprite....
his throat is feeling much better thanks to video games?! or...something like that.

I love this photo of the Jack...
love that I captured him giving me the stink eye...
so my child.
I used it for my LSS Rd2 layout....
7 random facts...
which was hard to narrow down...
I had so many...

When you get nervous you wring your hands....Tom and Jerry is still your favorite cartoon...You weigh 10lbs more than Coley....You can quote commercials, tv shows, and movies like no one’s business....In baseball you hit left handed (and you’re really good)...You named your blanket “Old Baby” ....Your nickname is Jack Banana....You’re really good at saving money....You will only wear boxer briefs....Jared gave you one of your middle names (Benjamin)when you were born.(He was in kindergarten)...You love music and have been asking for a keyboard...You are really fantastic with numbers, and telling time...You say "30" and "40" the same (because Coley does).Your favorite color is orange...You cry when you're embarrassed...You would eat mashed potatoes everyday...You love to draw...

so now I think I'm going to do another random fact layout...
for Jack, and the other two...
Love the Dares...
gives me an excuse to scrap...
and sadly,
lately I need one.

Soccer is kicking my butt....literally....
six days a week...
a minimum of five weekend games...
i think i need to figure out a way to make my scrap stuff portable...
so i can scrap on the sidelines...
instead, i sketch....and make lists...and write ideas...
ok,
and i make out my grocery lists, and play hang-man with Jack.....

Quicky

Back from yet another wedding...

this one in Virginia...

gorgeous.

Now I want to move to Virginia.

Yeah, we're clearly not above playing soccer anywhere...

even at a wedding...

even in dress clothes.

Big time

Guess who outgrew their peanut allergy?!?Pretty cool, huh?